Conversion

When the delicate business of rounding up Hoovercrats was begun during the 1928 Presidential campaign, a good bit of work was intrusted to Colonel Horace A. Mann, a bristly-haired Tennessee lawyer (no kin to Pioneer Educator Horace Mann) who had played poker with President Harding.

Herbert Hoover personally appointed Colonel Mann but he was placed in an office far removed from the Republican National Committee (which nevertheless financed his work). The New York World sent an investigator to Colonel Mann's office to ask for "nonpolitical literature" on Candidate Smith. She was directed, she said, to the office of the scurrilous Ku Klux Klan sheet, The Fellowship Forum ("Roman Catholic Clerical Party Opens Big Drive to Capture America for the Pope"). This Colonel Mann denied, crying, "Who arranged this frame-up?" Nevertheless, Roman Catholics continued to regard him as responsible for much of the bigotry propaganda sent out.

After the election Colonel Mann stepped forward to claim credit and his share of Southern patronage. President Hoover spurned him. Thereafter Colonel Mann nursed his grievance, appeared briefly in the news when he tried to start an anti-Hoover movement before last year's convention (TIME, Dec. 21, 1931). He was heard of no more until last week-- when he became a Roman Catholic.

Colonel Mann and his wife had listened to the radio talks of Rev. Dr. Fulton John Sheen who conducts the Catholic Hour, explains Church doctrine and practice to listeners. They became interested, were introduced to Dr. Sheen. Almost at once they were ready for conversion. Dr. Sheen instructed them for three months. Son of a Methodist minister but no church member, Colonel Mann received his first Holy Communion last week with tears streaming down his cheeks.

Catholic newspapers featured the news, reported Convert Mann's cautious statement that "while I was in office, I never permitted anyone to make use of anti-Catholic propaganda. . . . I know of all the organized bigotry . . . in that campaign."

Telegraphed Alfred E. Smith: "Deeply moved by the good news. Best wishes. Always."

Replied Convert Mann: "May God bless your profound graciousness and sweet soul."

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